This is the first time we have met as a stake since the stakes in the area were reorganized.
1st Councilor in the Stake Presidency
He listed what he called Prophetic Priorities. I believe he said one of President Hinckley's sons had called the list that.
1. Personal Testimony
- The speaker talked of when he was on his mission and President Hinckley spoke to his mission. He said that President Hinckley told them, "It doesn't matter if the pearly gates swing open or slide open as long as they open."
- The speaker also talked of when he and his family lived in New York. He said that at that time Elder Hinckley was a member of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles. During the Hill Cumorah Pageant week there was a special sacrament meeting at the foot of the hill. It was a very hot and humid. President Hinckley spoke at that meeting. He looked out on everyone and stated, "It looks hot out there, but not as hot as it is going to get if you don't straighten up and do your duty."
2. Avoid Debt
- The speaker related how there was a time in his marriage where he had lost his job, but his van was paid for and their food storage was well stocked.
3. Pay Tithing
4. Temple Work
- He discussed the expansion of temple under President Hinckley and the places his family has lived as temples were built near where they lived.
Second Speaker
She spoke of the 2000 stripling warriors. She talked of all of us being warriors for God. The 2000 fought physically, but more importantly spiritually.
Alma 56:47-48 -
47 Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.
48 And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it.
Do we have no doubt that when we go through trials that Heavenly Father that He will work it out for our good?
She quoted from Elder Eyring's October 2005 conference talk "Spiritual Preparedness:
Start Early and Be Steady".
"It will take unshakable faith in the Lord Jesus Christ to choose the way to eternal life. It is by using that faith we can know the will of God. It is by acting on that faith we build the strength to do the will of God. And it is by exercising that faith in Jesus Christ that we can resist temptation and gain forgiveness through the Atonement."
Faith is an action word and we must doing something with it.
She listed off things that she feels the youth need to learn to be effective warriors.
-Pay Tithing
-Attend Sacrament Meeting - Fight the battles of the week and come together on Sunday for strength.
-Attend Seminary - Many wish they had paid better attention in seminary as they take on future callings.
-Family Home Evening - This is where warriors get fortification and shelter from the battle - In our own home.
-Good Music - Invites the spirit as a shield.
-Scripture Study
3rd Speaker
We are to be mirrors reflecting the light into places that would otherwise not receive any light.
4th Speaker
What do we need to teach our children to prepare them for the 2nd coming of Christ?
-As we train the children, so will the world be in a few years.
-They cited President Hinckley's first presidency message in the Ensign, These Our Little Ones.
-“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6).
-Teach them, respect them, pray with them.
2nd Councilor in the Stake Presidently
-Mark 8:35 - "aFor whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall blose his clife for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it."
-He shared the story of President Hickely when he was on his mission and was discouraged. His father sent him a letter saying, "Forget yourself and go to work."
-Pray in faith - "Father, what would thou have me do."
-Seek the spirit - Seek, Invite, Be worthy of it.
-Labor in love - The savior saw sin and was able, because of that, to see the sinners underlying needs.
-Testify
Stake President
Finding Joy in Everything, Even Our Trials
-Jacob 5 - The allegory of the tame and wild olive trees. You work and work in a vineyard that give problem after problem. You're digging and you're dunging and in the end you will have joy.
-2 Nephi 31:20 - "Wherefore, ye must press forward with a asteadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of bhope, and a clove of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and dendure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eeternal life."
-He shared the story of Derek Redmon running the 400 meter and pulling a hamstring. He didn't quit. He hopped and limped and his dad came out on the track and helped him finish.
-Jesus' parables-
-Lost Sheep - Go after it until you find it.
-Lost Coin - Sweep the house until you find it.
-Prodigal Son - Fall upon him, kiss him, and welcome him back.
-They all had joy after laboring.
-We can not always see the designs of God in our lives. A lost job, an illness, or financial troubles may actually work out in the end for our good or at the very least be only a short while before God gives us great things.
-Give thanks in all circustances.
-He shared the story of a girl in a concentration camp that had to find joy in the hardships there. There were infested with fleas and at some point they prayed and thanked God for the fleas. It turned out that the fleas kept the guards away. they did not go in and harass them for fea of getting infested by fleas themselves.
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